On the Precipice of Defeat
by ii-Phoenix-ii
Summary: A famous author with an almost supernatural ability to attract trouble finds the perfect bodyguard in a former soldier.
1. Pho

**Chapter 1: Pho**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

 **Summary** : A famous author with an almost supernatural ability to attract trouble finds the perfect bodyguard in a former soldier.

* * *

 _I deleted this story because I didn't know what to do with it. Then (of course) I spend a day over-thinking everything and get an idea. So I've uploaded it again. Sorry for the annoyance. New Chapter will be up in a few days.  
_

* * *

"Really?" Petra giggled. "That really happened?"

"Yes! I swear!" Phil grinned, brown eyes wide and bright. Petra shivered and he pulled her closer. She smiled up at him, cheeks stained pink. Their legs bumps and they stumbled, laughing in a drunken haze. Suddenly, he leaned down and kissed her. Petra moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck to keep from falling, her knees going weak.

He broke the kiss long enough to lead her into the alley and push her against the wall. Petra couldn't help but feel she was forgetting something. Though in her defense, it was hard to think with what his lips and tongue were doing to her neck.

 _Ding!_

"Wait," she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone. It was a reminder. "Oh crap!"

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot I have a deadline to meet! I've been procrastinating too much!" She began stressing. "I don't think I can make it!"

Phil pulled the phone out of her hands, "If it's already too late, then why don't we go back to my place and continue the party."

Petra sobered quickly. _He's tall_ , she thought nervously. They were in a dark alley, the music from the club had faded to a quiet dull in the background. _I can't be too far_. She could walk back and hitch a ride with a friend. "Listen, I gotta go. I really have to do something important and I can't put it off any longer."

"Oh c'mon," Phil whined. "Why don't you relax and have some fun. Forget about work for one night."

"I've been having fun all night, now it's time to go home and be responsible," she reached for her phone.

He jerked it out of her grasp. "I spent a lot of money on drinks for you and your friends."

"No one asked you to," Petra began losing patience. She really needed to go home, sober up, and finish the chapter before her editor/agent came in the next morning to pick it up.

"It's surprising," his hand stroked her waist, "how much this tiny body of yours can handle."

Petra folded her arms, "Don't make me go Super Ninja Pirate Assassin on you."

"What the hell is a Super Ninja Pirate Assassin?"

"Exactly," Petra snatched her phone back, "you don't want to know."

"Hey wait!" He grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him. "How about an hour?" She jerked her head away and he began nuzzling her neck. "I'll make it the best one hour of your life."

"No thank you," she said politely, attempting to push him away without success.

"We can—ack fuck!" His body twisted down.

"She said no, so fuck off."

"Who—ow! Stop!" Phil gritted his teeth. Petra watched the man squeeze the skin between Phil's thumb and fingers with his own thumb. "Okay, I'm leaving! I'm leaving! Let go!" He stumbled away, shooting them a glare as he fled back to the club.

"Thanks," Petra smiled widely. For a second, she wanted to give him money as a show of gratitude. He was dressed in worn shoes, dirty jeans, and a ratty jacket over a blue shirt with a hole near the collarbone as well as mismatching finger-less gloves. He was clearly homeless. She had a feeling he'd be offended and didn't reach for her wallet.

He shrugged, "It's fine." He turned and walked away.

"Hey wait, what's your name?" Petra called after him.

"Don't you have a deadline to meet?" He said over his shoulder.

"Oh!" She ran, or only as much as her stilettos would allow her to run, back towards the club. She stopped and went back. "Thank you again!" She speed-walked halfway and stopped. _Phil's probably back there. I'll just call a cab_. Petra pulled out her phone and bit her lip, dialing the number. It was way past midnight, nearing 2 in the morning. She had less than 6 hours.

* * *

"You look horrible."

"Thanks," Petra rubbed her eyes tiredly, dark circles prominent on her pale skin.

"Where's the chapter?" Rico asked.

Petra placed the stapled stack on the outstretched hand. Rico "The Nazi" Brzenska was like a strict English teacher. She had both the stern, no-nonsense attitude and the rules that followed. The work had to be a certain font and size and she required both a digital copy and a hard copy. Apparently it was more satisfying to read the paper copy. Petra secretly thought her editor enjoyed marking errors and making margin notes in red for fun. She honestly thought it was a waste of trees.

"Do you want breakfast?"

"No thank you, I already ate. You look like you could use a nap," Rico packed the stack in her briefcase. "Anyway, I have somewhere to be," she checked her watch. "And before you ask, no, it's not a date with Ian, it's a professional lunch meeting."

"Sure, whatever you say," Petra smiled. Then she winced, rubbing her head. "I think I'll go take that nap now." Not wanting to ruin her sleep cycle, she set the alarm to wake her in three hours.

The next few days, Petra found herself trying not to repeat her mistake of putting things off till the last minute. It was easier said than done. Writing was hard. It was harder if the mind was busy stuck on something else. _I wonder how he's doing_. She felt bad for not even knowing the name of the man who'd helped her out.

Petra glanced at the clock. And got an idea. She knew it was a bad idea but it was too irresistible. Shoving three notebooks and some pens in a messenger bag, she grabbed her jacket and left her loft. The club she met Phil at was a close drive. She chose to walk, enjoying the evening stroll. Eventually, she found herself wandering around the dark alleys similar to the one where she'd met her helper.

She wandered around for hours, unable to find him, much to her disappointment. The sun had set and it was dark now. She quickly got back home and retrieved the notes she'd taken. It wasn't a total bust. She had a few ideas she could incorporate later on.

Another few nights of strolling, she found herself lots of inspiration but not the man she was looking for. _Time to call it a night_ , she sighed. Then, of course, her ability to find trouble kicked in. Keeping a casual pace, she calmly walked down an alley she knew split into several smaller ones. She mentally cursed herself for not paying more attention or dressing up in less conspicuous clothes. Her presence practically screamed _I have money! Come get me!_

As soon as she made the turn and her followers lost visual on her, she broke into a mad run. She could hear them yelling, and the sound of several pairs of feet pounding on the dirty concrete ground synced with her heart beat. She stopped, looking around frantically.

Behind her was an old, broken building with a large dumpster. The door was shut with a thick lock and chains and the windows were boarded up. The voices reached her. Those men were closing in. _I have to find some place to hide_. Something about the dumpster felt odd to her. _Maybe I can hide in it?_ She lifted the black lid and gagged. It smelled awful.

There was no way she could stay in there. _Not like I can even get inside_. The lid was heavy. She wouldn't be able to hold it high enough and sneak in at the same time. _Maybe I can hide behind it?_ It was dark now, she was too afraid of hands coming out of the shadows and pulling her in. The voices got louder, they were closer now. Quickly, she pushed the dumpster forward, making sure it looked even to a passerby. It was empty and easy to move, the adrenaline rush helped too.

 _I should call the cops._ She was tiny and felt grateful for that. She fumbled with the phone in her hands and dropped it. And suddenly it made sense. After she tossed in her messenger bag, she carefully went into the rectangular hole where the window should have been. The basement was dark and it took her eyes a minute to adjust.

Petra jumped off the table. She just barely made out the window pane on the ground two feet from her, broken. She heard the voice from outside. They sounded frustrated and she smiled smugly to herself. _I'm hiding under their noses!_ She covered her mouth to keep her laughter at bay. It was a lunatic reaction but she couldn't help it.

As soon as the voices and footsteps disappeared, she turned on her phone's flashlight. Aside from the table, the other furniture in the room was the counter-top and a few barstools lined against a wall. _This must have been a bar once_. She knew someone lived here. She climbed over the counter top and her suspicions were confirmed.

 _Who puts a dumpster in front of a building?_ _And an abandoned building at that_. Petra figured someone had used it to hide the hole until he/she could replace it with something else. No cobwebs, dust, and the ratty mattress on the ground with a pillow case full of wrinkled up newspapers meant someone lived there.

Petra sighed when she looked at her phone screen's corner. _No bars, just my luck_. She didn't want to risk going outside. _I can't stay here either_. What if the person who lived there came back? _I'll wait for an hour_. She settled herself as far away from the mattress—not wanting the person who slept there to get all territorial if he found her—she pulled out a notebook and pencil and began doodling.

Half an hour later, she became bored. _I'll take a quick nap then_. She made sure to set an alarm on her clock before closing her eyes.

* * *

Petra played a card game on her phone while waiting for her order. As soon as the guy called her number, she snatched the bag with a smile and a thank you and left the fast food joint. A week had passed since the incident. Petra had made the mistake of giving Rico a brief rundown of what had happened and earned a verbal whip lashing.

Her friend had practically forbidden her from wandering alone in that part of the city after dark. _But it's not dark yet_. Petra hadn't found the man she was looking for but she had familiarized with some of the locals. _It won't be too bad if I go meet them one last time_. Disappearing for good, even if they didn't know each other too well, seemed rude to her. Except when she got to the tenements, they were gone. She left feeling disappointed, wondering if she'd meet them again.

Petra felt a wet, cold spot on her head. She looked skyward. _It's going to rain_. She pulled up the hood of her jacket and quickened her pace, not wanting to get caught in the downpour. _I won't make it_. If she wanted to avoid getting soaked, she'd had to find shelter soon. _Maybe I should wait at that abandoned bar_.

Hopefully whoever lived there wouldn't mind her crashing. _But if he looks mean I'll keep moving_. It was surprisingly easy for her to find the place. She thought her luck was holding out for once when she heard the footsteps. _Oh no…_ It sounded like one person. It wouldn't be too hard to—

"You? What are you doing here?"

"It's you!" Petra beamed. "I was looking for you! Well I _was_ but right now I am looking for somewhere to hide from the rain."

Levi stared blankly into the stupidly smiling girl with the innocent face. He knew better than to judge people based on looks but somehow he got the feeling this one wasn't dangerous. Besides, the rain had started to come down. Without a word, he walked up the door and pulled out the lock pick.

Petra didn't say anything until they were inside. "I can't believe you live here!"

"What do you mean?" Levi asked suspiciously, almost sounding offended.

"I mean I was here last week and ended up finding the hole behind the dumpster and hiding in the basement."

His eyes lit up in understanding. "That was you? I heard there was some dumb, rich ginger girl wandering the streets alone at night. I didn't know it the same person who broke in. Definitely not the one who I saw weeks earlier," he stared down at her intently.

Petra smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, that's me. I have a tendency to find trouble. Actually, I don't go looking for it, trouble just always finds me."

"Wandering around these parts of the city after sunset isn't looking for trouble?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, I was looking for you," Petra answered. Now that she thought about it, it sounded pretty stupid. "And this place gives me inspiration," she added quickly. "I'm a writer," she explained at the puzzled expression that crossed his face. "I can't believe I forgot but I'm Petra!"

He paused before answering, "The name's Levi." He continued before she could speak, "You can stay until the weather clears." She scrambled after him as he descended the stairs, turning the large battery powered lantern on. Leaving it and his black backpack on the counter top, he pulled two barstools form the corner. She sat next to him, staring at him expectantly. "What?"

"Nothing," she looked away.

Levi sighed, "Why were you looking for me?"

"I just wanted to thank you properly," she shrugged. "I couldn't find you but I did befriend some locals and came to see them today. I haven't been here for a week and they left during that time."

"How did you find this place?"

Petra's eyes shifted to the window plane, mostly fixed and now back in place. "There are no businesses around here. I didn't make any sense for a dumpster to be here, in _front_ of the building no less. It was dark so I didn't notice at first, but when I dropped my phone, I could see the hole from the screen's light."

"Why did you go behind the dumpster?" He had a feeling why.

"I was hiding. Perks of being tiny," she smiled.

"You shouldn't have come back," he frowned in disapproval. "What if those men caught you?"

"It' still daytime and I knew where I was going," she waved her hand. "Today was the last day I was coming here anyway. I told my agent what happened and she scolded me like a child." Levi nodded and muttered under his breath. They fell into silence. Until Petra's stomach growled.

"I totally forgot about lunch!" She pulled out the large paper bag full of 8 burgers. Taking one, she moved the bag in front of Levi. "You can have one if you want." Unwilling to make him uncomfortable, she took out a pen and a notebook and began writing while eating. Soon, the fake writing turned real and she lost herself in her own world.

Levi glanced between the bag and the girl. She was writing furiously, a focused expression set in her face. Slowly he reached in the bag and pulled out a cheeseburger. He ate it slowly. It was absolutely amazing. Petra had filled pages and her hand was starting to cramp. She'd pause occasionally to massage it before starting again.

He wasn't quite sure what to make of her. From her clothes, it was obvious she was well off. _She must be good at what she does then_. She was obviously dedicated and kind and honest, if a little careless. Her half eaten burger was getting cold. He wondered if he should snap her out of her focused state. It didn't seem like a good idea so he waited.

Levi wasn't an avid reader, though he did enjoy a novel here and there if the plot appealed to him. He took the chance to see how a writer worked. Shifting his head slightly closer, he looked at the pages. Her sentences were a mix of bullet points and paragraphs and a doodle or symbol. Roman numerals were thrown here and there—maybe indicating the play of events and organization?

It was a quick, insightful look into how her mind worked. _Very fast and all over the place_. She'd find a new idea or come up with catchy dialogue and would abandon whatever she was writing to write it down before jumping back. Finally, she capped her pen and closed her notebook in satisfaction. "I have to go while it's still fresh in my mind," Petra beamed at him. Levi saw her hands itch in anticipation to get home and jump on her laptop.

The noise outside had quieted. "Thanks for letting me stay, I really appreciate it!" Slipping on her messenger bag, she let herself out, all but running out of the room.

 _What an odd girl._

* * *

Petra sighed, flickering through the TV channels, trying to find something good to watch. She gave a minute later and jumped on the internet. Nothing appealed to her. She shifted restlessly on the couch. _I'm so bored!_ She picked up her phone, strolling through her contact list. _Maybe I can go hang out with someone_.

 _Wait!_ She checked the time. _I wonder what Levi's doing_. Where did he hang out in the middle of the day? Not having anything better to do, she grabbed her trusty messenger bag and took off. Despite not expecting anyone to be home, she was still disappointed no one answered her knocks _. I'll wait for him here_. She pulled out her phone and began searching for apps she could download.

Forty minutes and a growling stomach later, she gave. _Hm, I'm in the mood for some Pho. Should I get Levi some too?_ Petra tapped her finger on the menu, deep in thought. As she took the time to decide, the line became long and people began grumbling. She paid quickly and moved out of the way, ignoring the annoyed looks from both the cashier and the customers for wasting time and not even ordering anything extra.

She barely knew him but got the distinct feeling if he thought she pitied him he'd reject any help from her. She eyed the bag. _I_ _can never finish the large one in one go, maybe he can—_ Petra felt her cheeks tingle _. I can't believe I'm thinking about giving him my spares!_ She cringed in embarrassment. If Levi ever knew what she was thinking he'd either pissed or mortified.

 _Ugh, what are you supposed to do in a situation like this?_ She wondered for a second if Google had the answer.

She found herself before the old bar sooner than she'd hoped. _I really don't want to wait out here_. Petra studied the lock. "I wonder if I can pick it," she mused out loud. She still had an expensive lock pick she'd bought online for research purposes for her book. She was sure she could get unlock the door if she fiddled around with the lock. Petra discarded the idea, not wanting to trespass on Levi's home—even if it technically wasn't his.

"You're back again?"

Petra squeaked and whirled around. "Oh my God you scared me! Sneaking up on me like a ninja!"

"It's not sneaking up if you walk up to someone who spends more time in her own head than the real world."

Petra struck her tongue out at him.

Levi rolled his eyes, "Real mature." He shook his head as she walked in without invitation. "Why are you here again?" He took a seat next to her.

Petra shrugged, "I was bored, thought I'd come by and see how you were doing." She began unpacking her lunch. "You were here and I waited and," her stomach growled, "then this happened."

"What is that?" He eyed the containers of broth and vegetable and the baggie of basil with curiosity.

"Pho."

"What?"

"Not what, _fuh_."

Levi rolled his eyes, "I know, but what is it?"

"It's Vietnamese noodle soup. I can't believe you've never had it! You have to try it! It's really good." And so, Petra began explaining the process of eating Pho.

* * *

 _ **Please Review~**_


	2. Friends

**Chapter 2: Friends**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

 **Previously** : Petra wanders into a shady neighbor to thank the man who helped her. She gets chased and ends up at Levi's place. She comes back, much to his disapproval, because the place gives her inspiration.

* * *

The burning sensation exploded in his body.

 _Scratch_.

Flames, hot and angry, licked him skin, eliciting pain filled screams.

 _Scratch_.

…

 _How about—no, that's stupid._ Sighing softly, she put down her pen and stretched. The clock on the wall stated it was 8:36. She walked from desk to the windows, they were dark, the sun having set already. Just looking at the weather outside made her shier in cold. Soft growling in her stomach alerted her to the fact she hadn't eaten for hours.

Petra rubbed her eyes tiredly. She was too tired to put away the library books on fire accelerant. After spending many hours staring at words, researching the subject, it was all incredibly tiring. The fridge was stocked with food, and none of it seemed particularly appealing. Eventually she made up her mind to grab some pizza.

Onions and sausage sounded very good at the moment. Petra ordered it, intending to pick it up instead of having it delivered. She was bored and wanted something to do. She shivered as she ducked into the small Italian place. She really didn't want to walk all the way back to her apartment and regretted not having it delivered. _I'll go to Levi's!_ Purchasing bottles of soft drinks and an additional pepperoni pizza, she quickly made her way over to the old bar.

Sneaking inside was no issue for her, long since used to picking the lock. Her smile fell when no one greeted her. _Of course he's not here,_ Petra pouted. She wanted to wait for him, she really did. Unfortunately, her stomach won against her heart this time. Turning on the small, battery-powered heater and lantern, she sat on the mattress and began eating happily.

Four slices and half an empty bottle later, Levi walked in, not looking very surprised. He'd smelled the pizza the moment he stepped foot in the door. "Hey," Petra greeted lazily.

"I see you've made yourself at home." He dropped next to her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, eyes closed. Petra was an affectionate person. She enjoyed physical contact. He didn't, but he'd known her for nearly three months now and had gotten used to it. As long as she didn't go overboard with the touching, he didn't mind too much.

Opening the two boxes, he checked which toppings she got. One had three slices missing and the other two. Petra was still chewing her fifth piece half-heartedly. She was full but she still wanted to eat. That was one of the reasons he didn't mind her bringing food constantly. While he knew she always brought too much, it made him—his pride—feel better to see she was such a big eater. As illogical as it was, it made him feel less like he was being pitied.

Petra didn't talk for a while and he realized she'd fallen asleep. Moving the leftovers to one box, he pulled up a blanket. Levi turned off the light and closed his eyes. Sleep eluded him. He'd had a hard time falling asleep before he was deployed. After he returned, he was lucky to grab two, maybe three hours of shut-eye.

Taking even breaths, he began meditating. It was the closest he was going to get to sleep. Petra's presence always made it easier. All he had to do was focus on her breathing and warmth. He was grateful for her soft presence. Levi was never a social person, rarely did he let people get close enough to form any real bonds. Though there were some that slipped through his barriers.

Sensing his mind turning to darker memories, he let out a soft breath, doing a mental head-shake.

Next to him, Petra mumbled something in her sleep.

Levi was truly astounded at how much he enjoyed her company. Normally, he found people like her—rich and talkative and somewhat naïve—annoying and couldn't stand them. Not her. On the contrary, the idea of not talking to her or meeting her or seeing her saddened him more than he wanted to admit. He'd never tell her. He could only imagine the teasing that would result.

Then again, she'd take his words to the heart and make it her mission to visit him every single day. Levi didn't want her to drop everything to come to him, he didn't want her to feel any obligations. He'd much rather she drop by two or three times a week when her schedule allowed it. Leaning his head on hers, he smelled her fruity shampoo and went back to clearing his mind of all thoughts and mediating.

* * *

"Holy Crap!" Petra re-read the email several times, wanting to make sure it was real and she wasn't misunderstanding it. She eagerly opened a new tab and purchased some tickets. Leaving Rico a quick message, she ran to her bedroom and began packing. She reached for a shoe box in her closet and pulled out her passport.

Petra was half through her mental checklist when another thought occurred to her. _I'll be gone for a while. I should go see Levi_. She didn't want to leave without telling him. She considered him a good friend and didn't want to take off without informing him. On the walk over, her vivid imagination ran wild. So lost in thought about the places she would visit and the food she would enjoy, she didn't realize she'd been staring at the locked door with a goofy smile on her face. After that embarrassing moment, she entered quickly. _He's not here again?_ _He must still be at his job_. Before she could make up her mind about dropping in on him at his work, Petra realized Levi never specified where he worked. He'd only described it as some blue collar job. _I should leave a note._

Hands reached instinctively for the absent messenger bag. _Dammit!_ In the rush over, she'd left her bag behind, too caught up in her excitement to tell him the great news. _I can run home really quick and come back._ But it was getting dark already with the season transitioning from fall to winter. _I'll just come back tomorrow._ She hoped he would be in. She'd rather tell him goodbye in person but a note was better than nothing.

Her phone buzzed. "Hey, Rico," Petra answered cheerfully. "Did you get my voicemail?…I know, right? I'm so psyched!…Really?…No way!…Wait, how long do I have?…Okay, I'ma hurry home now and get ready. I'll see you later tonight then, okay?"

A giddy squeak escaped her, face flushed in pleasure. _I can't believe this!_ Not only did the estate agree to let her snoop around the palace for details for her book, Rico had managed to secure dinner with a retired agent responsible for catching a master thief. Just the thought of all the juicy details he could tell her made her want to scream in joy!

With a skip in her step, Petra practically danced her way back to her apartment.

* * *

The loud pounding at her door made her bolt out of bed so fast she tripped and fell face first into the carpet. Still half asleep and with dark bags under her eyes, she opened the door to her twitching editor. "Hey Rico, why're you here so early?"

"Early?" The stern-faced woman said incredulously. "Petra I've been calling you for an hour now! You were supposed to text me when you were at the airport so we could meet up." Rico's flight was an hour later than Petra's. She was flying to meet her parents for their anniversary. "Do you know what time it is? Because from the looks of it, you just got out of bed!"

"Did I miss the flight?" Petra's voice pitched high in panic.

"No, if you hurry now, you'll make it."

Without another word, the smaller woman raced to the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair and splash some water on her face. She was immensely grateful that in her excitement, she'd set everything up ready to go, including the clothes she was going to wear. Grabbing her purse and suitcase, she followed her editor downstairs to the waiting taxi.

Halfway to the airport, after mentally checking on everything a good five times, she let herself relax. _Oh wait…_ Petra bit her lip. She hadn't told Levi she was leaving. The taxi pulled in front of the airport and Rico hurried her inside. Last night had been amazing. The elderly man had many tales to tell and her hyperactive brain had kept her awake until twilight, writing various ideas and random plots and characters. As a result, she'd failed to set her alarm.

Petra sat down in her seat and waited for the plane to take off. _He's only one of a handful of real friends I have._ She felt so guilty. Mostly she had aquaintaces that wouldn't mind her taking off for her job. The people close to her she could contact easily. _I can't exactly call Levi up and explain._ She watched the ground outside the window disappear, replaced by bright, fluffy white clouds.

 _I can't even send him a post card!_ His home was, after all, an abandoned bar. He wasn't supposed to be living there. An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach and she wondered what he would make of her disappearance.

* * *

Levi read the text with a raised eyebrow. He stuck a finger in the book and checked the back. Yup, that was her. Petra Ral. Turning back to the horrific scene where the serial killer now had the heroine strapped and was torturing her, he wondered if Petra had a twin sister. Who also happened to have the same name. When he learned she was a popular author, unconsciously he'd assumed she wrote romance novels or maybe humorous detective books if some of the notes he'd seen her taking were anything to go by.

Violent, graphic stories about murder was not what he was expecting. _At least I got the detective part right. Sort of_. The main character of one of her best-selling series was a witness to a crime. As a result of fate and her keen observational abilities, the character joined the homicide unit as a consultant, all the while working on the larger plot to unveil the conspiracy involving—

Levi's stomach grumbled. Placing a bookmark in the new book, he unwrapped the snack bar and took a bite. He was hoping Petra would drop by soon. He was itching to see how she would react to him reading her books. She was the modest type, he could imagine her embarrassed and whining and complaining about him reading her stories while she was there.

Petra was incredibly sensitive to that, he'd learned. She got all flustered when he openly looked at her notes one time—instead of subtly glancing like he usually did—and admitted it made her nervous when people close to her read her material right in front of her. Levi had secretly been touched his opinion mattered to her. Often commenting about the few negative comments some critics had about her books, she didn't seem too bothered by them. They were strangers after all.

Turning back to the book, he finished the chapter and put it away, unwilling to finish it before she showed up. If she kept to schedule, she'd drop by either tomorrow or the day after. He settled into the mattress, pulling up the blanket. Loneliness plagued him but his eagerness for her next visit fought it off.

Levi made a note to drop by the gym early in the morning for a shower. Paying a monthly fee of $25, his membership allowed him access to the equipment, the showers, and a locker. It was a step-up from the shelter he used to go to. Even if it hurt his pride, it definitely beat being dirty. He'd always had an obsession with cleaning, but his situation had forced him to deal with it. The gym membership was a life-saver. Still, he missed having an actual home. Levi squeezed his eyes shut and growled into the mattress.

As much as he hated his living situation and his sad, purposeless life—though he constantly berated himself for the self-pity because no doubt there were countless people worse off than him—he abhorred any thoughts about what she must think of him regarding his status. Did she pity him? Feel sad for him and visited him out of a sense of obligation? It upset him greatly. The opinions of others didn't bother him. Petra wasn't just anyone, and he found himself wishing he'd met her on less embarrassing circumstances.

 _Not like I can do much with my life_ , he brooded. The military had given him a purpose for a while. Eventually, the violence and bloodshed and unnecessary deaths took its toll and he returned after finishing his tour. The only thing he had at home was a meaningless existence, living day in and day out. One day at a time, he'd told himself. The days melted into weeks and weeks into months and before he knew, a year had passed.

Then Levi saw a small, ginger-haired woman acting out her version of intimidating—looking more so like an angry little kitten to him. _No_ , he smirked, _not kitten, bunny_. Petra didn't like cats. She loved bunnies. _An angry little bunny_. That imagine always amused him.

Finally feeling the fatigue set in, he gave in and closed his eyes. _She likes the fig bars, I should buy some before she drops by._

* * *

 _Home at last_. Petra was determined to finish unpacking before collapsing on her bed. She was out minutes after her head hit the pillow. The alarm woke her the following morning and she smiled happily. _There's nothing like waking up in your own bed_. Yawning and stretching, she finished her morning routine and grabbed her trusty messenger bag and a cup of yogurt to go.

Butterflies few in circles in her stomach. _Maybe I should have thought about this, planned it out a little more._ She highly doubted a scripted apology would be well-received. Her hands automatically reached for the lock-pick kit in her bag. _No, after disappearing without a word then returning all of a sudden, picking his lock and invading his home isn't right._

With a quiet sigh, she got comfortable on the cold hard ground. The chilly temperature and flowing wind were harsh but she stubbornly sat still. Petra was bent on not leaving until she met Levi and apologized. She'd explain everything and give him the choice on whether he wanted her around or not. As much as she'd told herself over the weeks about respecting his wishes, whatever he may decide, she couldn't help the tightening in her throat and the blurriness in her eyes when imagining him telling her to get lost.

The nervousness of waiting for him to return turned to anxiousness for him to hurry up. _I can't feel my butt anymore_. Petra learned her head back, eyes closed. _I kept him waiting for a month, a few hours won't kill me_. She didn't realize when she'd started to nod off. _Stay awake!_ She shook her head. Petra took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, her frosty breath white in the cold. _Maybe I'll close my eyes for a few minutes…_

When she came to, a pair of grey eyes were watching her, inches from her face. Petra blinked, "You look pale—more than usual." Levi drew in a breath sharply. The last bit of drowsiness left and she was thinking clearly. Petra attempted to stand and failed pathetically. "I think I've been sitting too long, my muscles are locked in place."

"What are you doing?"

"Aside from the obvious," she shakily got to her feet. "I came to say sorry that I disappeared without a word—" She thought she'd have to beg him to listen. Instead he yanked her in and forced her to sit. _He's forgiving me that quickly?_ As happy as that made her, she still felt the need to fully apologize. "I came to tell you but you weren't here and I didn't have anything to leave a message with and the next day I was running late for my last minute flight and my editor personally dragged me—what are you doing?"

Levi stuck his jacket on her before covering her with a blanket, only half registering her words. He turned on the heater at low. "How long were you out there?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I kind of lost track of time. It's okay though," she began pushing the articles off, "I don't need this. I don't feel cold at all."

"Your lips are blue," he forced the blanket back on. "You were so still, fuck, I thought you were _dead_."

"R-really?" Her eyes widened.

They sat quietly, Petra looking anywhere but at Levi and Levi staring straight at her. "It doesn't look like you'll need medical help. You can leave as soon as you—"

"No wait!" Her hand shot out, fingers curling around his arm. "Let me explain," her eyes watered and her voice shook. _So much for acting with dignity_. She felt herself on the verge of tears. Petra began rambling again.

Levi shifted uncomfortably. After the scare she gave him and now sitting there looking so frail, staring at him with her shiny doe eyes, he felt majority of his anger drain away. Most of it had been self-directed anyway. He'd blamed himself for letting her get close enough to hurt him. Her sudden departure still stung. Now, hearing the explanation, he couldn't help but feel a little better. She was a best-selling fiction writer, surely she could come up with a better lie than all the inconvenient things that had happened.

"Fine, I forgive you, whatever, stop making that face you look stupid."

"Really? You mean it?"

"Yes, you look like a blubbering idiot."

A wide grin split her face and she dove in for a hug. Or at least tired. The blanket got in the way.

"Stay still," Levi demanded, and turned up the fan to max now that she was warmer.

Petra sat obediently, smiling happily, enjoying the heat. Levi folded his arms, attempting to keep a neutral expression on his face. After a week of dismissal and denial, a week of worry, a week of anger, and a week of despairing resignation, it took less than five minutes for him to forgive her. _Since when did I turn into such a soft-hearted idiot?_

Levi had been so worried for her he'd looked into the matter. Wild scenarios had run through his mind ranging from accident to kidnapping to amnesia. He'd hated the devastated feeling when he'd found out from her website she was off galavanting in another country, living a villa to do research for her next book.

In his rage, he'd throw her book around a bit. It was very therapeutic. The feeling of betrayal and hurt was still fresh. Levi had once again fallen back into a dreary, habitual state of existence, cursing himself for thinking he could be happy. Good things never lasted in his life.

Then Petra reappeared out of nowhere. And his first thought was: _she's dead_.

A feeling of irritation nagged at him. He shouldn't have forgiven her. _I just set myself up for disappointment,_ he brooded.

Petra wrapped her small hand around his bigger one. "I won't let you down again, I promise." She was smiling, bright and hopeful, not a look he was used to receiving. "Friends?"

The negative thoughts flowing around his head like a storm cloud just a second ago didn't seem relevant anymore. "Sure, friends, I don't care," he said sarcastically and added an eye-roll for good measure.

Petra beamed, "I'll get you a gift marking this special occasion!"

Images of dorky t-shirts and friendships bracelets in mind, Levi quickly changed the topic. "Tell me about the new book you're writing."

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